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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24443641">Rescue Me (would you rescue me when I'm by myself?)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Jack and Cole-verse [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Men's Hockey RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Coming Out, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Not beta'd we die like real men, Soft Hockey Boys</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:40:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,165</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24443641</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Pre-something to Electric Love, cus I fell down a Cole/Jack rabbit hole.</p><p>Cole wants to come out. Wants to stop hiding. Jack doesn't. Jack is FRICKEN scared. Yay.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Background Alex Turcotte/Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield/Jack Hughes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Jack and Cole-verse [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1779328</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Rescue Me (would you rescue me when I'm by myself?)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Pre- something to Electric Love.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Past day Cole, when Jack was drafted to New Jersey, his heart shattered a little, but he had to keep it together. He'd never get to see Jack, at all.</p><p>Cole struggled to get through the rest of that day, trying to be happy.</p><p>....</p><p>Present day Cole is lying in his dorm at UW, unable to find the motivation to get up.</p><p>He tries, but ends up scrolling through all the pictures he has of Jack, and crying.</p><p>He knows he should call Jack, tell him that he <em>just can't </em>do this, and they need to break up, but he can't bring himself to.</p><p>A knock at the door means he should be able to push it all away, get up, but he can't.</p><p>"Go away, Alex." Cole says. How does he know it's Alex? Alex always knocks on doors the same. The little tap tappity tap tap that annoys the <em>hell</em> out of Cole.</p><p>"It's not Alex."</p><p>"<em>Fuck, </em>since when do <em>you </em>knock like th-" Cole flings the covers off of him, unlocking the door as quick as he can, and throwing himself at Jack.</p><p>"Woah, buddy," Jack catches Cole, and hugs him tight.</p><p>"Jack!" Cole exclaims, sobbing. "Why, why are you here?"</p><p>"Well, Alex said you were mopey and sad, so I took a couple days off to come see you." Jack explains, like it totally isn't a big deal that he could be jeopardizing his NHL career.</p><p>"Jack, you can't do that! You can't come running whenever your boyfriend misses you." Cole says.</p><p>"Yeah I can. Watch." Jack smiles, pulling Cole into a kiss.</p><p>"We're in the hallway," Cole says breathlessly as they pull apart. "People will see." He grabs Jack's wrist and pulls him into the room.</p><p>The second the door is closed, Jack is kissing him breathless and Cole loves it.</p><p>"Jack," Cole mumbles against his lips. "I can't do this anymore."</p><p>"What?" Jack says. Cole can't bear to look him in the eyes. Jack's going to cry, and all because of Cole.</p><p>"I can't hide anymore. Alex is the only one that knows, and I want to be able to tell people that I'm going to see my boyfriend, or my boyfriend is visiting instead of I'm going to go see Jack or my best friend is visiting. I know you don't want to come out, so I just thought it would be better if we just broke this off."</p><p>"Oh, if," Jack chokes out. "If that's what you want." He squeezes his eyes shut, and Cole feels bad.</p><p>"I'm so sorry," Cole breathes.</p><p>"I, I should go. I have to go, Cole. You take care." Jack staggers out of the room, and Cole watches him leave, collapsing to the carpet.</p><p>Cole doesn't know how long he lies on the floor, but it's definitely a while, because he's still on the floor when Alex comes back.</p><p>"Cole?" Alex says, nudging him with his foot. "Where's Jack?"</p><p>"He, he um, he left." Cole whispers. "I broke up with him."</p><p>"You <em>what</em>?!" Alex snaps. "You broke up with <em>Jack?</em>"</p><p>Cole nods.</p><p>"That boy loves you more than he loves hockey and you just took that right out from under his feet?!" Alex screams.</p><p>Cole sobs. "I didn't want to hide anymore, he didn't want to come out."</p><p>"Cole!" Alex exclaims. "Why!?"</p><p>Cole curls up on the ground, shame creeping up on him.</p><p>Alex sits down next to him. "I'm sorry for yelling at you." Alex sighs. "But seriously. Jack loves you, Cole."</p><p>"If he really loved me, he'd come out so I wouldn't have to lie anymore."</p><p>"No he wouldn't, Cole. He doesn't have to. Think how scary it would be for him? He'd have to forge the path for a whole slew of others who want to come out. Jack's only eighteen," Alex says, picking his phone up from where he had thrown it onto the bed.</p><p>"I have class in like, twenty minutes so we're- oh. Oh my god." Alex drops his phone, but Cole doesn't have the heart to look up and wonder why. "Cole check your phone."<br/>
 <br/>
"Whyyyy?" Cole moans.</p><p>"Because. Right now. You're gonna wanna see this."</p><p>Cole reluctantly picks up his phone.</p><p>"I don't know what you want me to- Oh. <em>OH.</em>" Coles voice pitches up an octave.</p><p>"What the fuck." Alex says. "This kid just tanked his entire career."</p><p>"I'm calling him. Shut up." Cole says. It takes one ring for Jack to pick up. "What the fuck?" Cole snarls into the phone.</p><p>"I love you." Jack says.</p><p>"Jack, you just tanked your whole career." Cole says.</p><p>"I'm coming back. Wait for me in the dorm, okay?"</p><p>By the time Cole and Jack are done talking, Alex is in awe.</p><p>"Buddy just tanked his whole career for you." Alex says. "I hope you're grateful."</p><p>"You should be grateful that I haven't said a word about you and Zegs." Cole shoots back, unable to stop himself.</p><p>"You leave Trevor Zegras out of this!" Alex snarls.</p><p>"Toldja." Cole grins as the door to their dorm flies open.</p><p>"Cole," Jack says, breathless. "I just posted a picture,"</p><p>"You did <em>what?!</em>" Cole screeches. "Was it at least good?"</p><p>"It, it was that one we took at the lake cabin last year? Holding hands, you told me to never post it? Yeah, well, I just did. With the caption <em>surprise."</em> Jack says breathlessly. "I think I'm going to die."</p><p>It's Alex's turn to talk. "Wait wait wait was it that one picture where Zegs and I are in the background, or the other one?!" Alex asks, frantic.</p><p>"No. The other one. I'm not going to out you and Zegs." Jack says. "Now really, dude, I'm gonna die or some shit cuz-"</p><p>And with that, Jack falls the floor.</p><p>"Oh, shit," Alex says. "Is he dead? Was he <em>lying?" </em></p><p>Cole shakes his head, kneeling to the ground next to Jack.</p><p>"Jacky, buddy, get up." Cole says, and when he doesn't, Cole turns to Alex "If I slap him will you take the blame?"</p><p>"Fuck no!" Alex says. "He's your boy."</p><p>"Fine." Cole taps his hand on Jack's face.</p><p>"Slap him like you mean it, Cole, or he really will die!" Alex says.</p><p>"He won't die." Cole says, just as he feels a hand on his. "I told you. Jacky, d'you want some water?"</p><p>Jack nods, rolling onto his side, curling up.</p><p>Cole gets Jack Cole's bottle of water, hand holds it to his lips so he can drink.</p><p>"You're so whipped." Alex comments.</p><p>"Oh, fuck you." Cole says, but he's smiling.</p><p>"I love you, Cole." Jack says. "Can we please not stay broken up?"</p><p>Cole sighs, but smiles. "Fine."</p><p>Jack instantly lights up, reaching up, grabbing Cole's shirt. "I gotcha now, buddy."</p><p>"God, I hate you," Cole says, pinning Jack to the ground. "Aha! You thought."</p><p>Jack then pulls Cole to the ground next to him, leans over, and pulls him into a deep kiss.</p><p>"Get a room!" Alex shouts.<br/>
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